SIMPSONPRIZE COMPETITION

2019 Winner South AustraliaMontana FosterWudinna Area School

for Year 9 and 10 students

Montana Foster | Year 9 | Wudinna Area School Simpson Prize

Montana Foster

Year 9

Wudinna Area School

Simpson Prize Essay

To what extent should 1918 be considered a year of victory for Australia and

Australians?

Word Count: 1450

(excluding references, footnotes and direct quotes)

Montana Foster | Year 9 | Wudinna Area School Simpson Prize

There will be many whom this news of victory will not save from personal grief. The

sounds of rejoicing cannot but bring some reminder of their loss… Peace has been

won by so much suffering and so many tears…1

The year 2018 marks the centenary of the end of the First World War, with the signing of the

Armistice on November 11, 1918. Worldwide, this was celebrated as a day of victory for the Allies,

including Australia, over Germany and the other Central Powers.2 Inspiring a close reflection on the

notion of victory, the Simpson Prize questions ‘to what extent could 1918 be considered a year of

victory for Australia and Australians?’ Many reputable dictionaries agree that victory is defined as

success, presumably the defeat of the enemy, during war or contest, but as the above quote by the

Sydney Morning Herald first suggested in 1918, the answer is not as straight forward as a dictionary

definition might suggest.3 4 A definition of victory should be extended to a range of arenas, not just

political; a definition should include social, emotional and economical arenas, too. While I

acknowledge that 1918 was a year of success in key battles such as Hamel, factors such as the

wasteful loss of life, inadequate care and conditions for soldiers and nurses upon returning home,

and the impact of the war on the Australian economy are clear indicators that 1918 should be

considered as a limited victory. In short, while 1918 may be seen as a year of political victory, it

marks the beginning of a period of social, emotional and economic failure.

One of the most notable battles of 1918 began on July 4 at Hamel, France. Australian Lieutenant

General John Monash reinvented Australian battle tactics and achieved great success. Of his tactics

and planning, he wrote:

‘A perfect modern battle plan is like nothing so much as a score for an orchestral

composition, where the various arms and units are the instruments, and the tasks

they perform are their respective musical phrases.’5

Monash’s 93 minute attack was a considerable, statistical success, resulting in minimal loss of

Australian and American lives, 116 towns liberated from the Germans, 29,144 German prisoners

and 338 German guns captured.6 While the statistics highlight the undeniable victory, Monash’s

thoughts about war were revealed in letters to his wife: ‘I am heartily sick of the whole war business.

Its horror, ghastly inefficiency, impossible cruelty and misery have always appalled me.’7 Monash

placed a high value on soldiers’ lives and likely did not see Australia as ‘victorious’ by the war’s end

due to the high death toll, despite coordinating successful battles. Similarly, Charles Bean, Australia’s

1 The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 November 1918 2 Allied forces were made of Britain, France, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and later, USA. 3 Oxford Dictionary (2017) ‘Victory’, pg. 337 4 Macquarie Dictionary (2014), ‘Victory’ pg. 1327 5 Australian War Memorial, Hamel: the textbook Victory - 4 July 1918, online: https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/battles/hamel [accessed 5th November 2018] 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid.

Montana Foster | Year 9 | Wudinna Area School Simpson Prize

official war historian did not celebrate the war’s end, instead travelling to Fromelles on November

11, 1918 to reflect on the loss of life.8

Australia recorded its highest death toll during the First World War; with the greatest loss of lives

recorded during the Battle of Passchendaele from October of 1917. Within just eight weeks of

fighting, 38,000 Australians had been killed; a total of 35 men for every metre of ground taken.9 In

March of 1918, the Germans regained that same territory, all within just three days. Soldiers

frequently reflected on this significant loss of life and territory, including Corporal Arthur Thomas

who wrote a letter to his family describing the horror he saw: ‘it is terrible…; yet we all had to go up

again the next day and carry on as usual.’10 At home in South Australia, the impact of war shocked

the Potter family, who saw four sons go to war. Ultimately, only one son would return to Australia,

with significant injuries, while two still do not have identified graves. The heartbreak, anguish and

lack of closure surrounding their sons’ deaths meant the family did not celebrate the ‘victory’ that

came with the war’s end.11 The Potter family story is in contrast, however, to the story of Annie

Whitelaw, whose epitaph reads, ‘Happy is she who can die with the thought that in the hour of her

Country’s greatest need she gave her utmost.’ Annie had six sons who served in the ‘Great War;’

four of them died overseas.12 There seems to be a sense of pride in the words on her epitaph,

suggesting a sense of personal victory that her sons fought to assure Australia’s freedom. This

suggests that the term victory can be dependent upon personal opinion, but wide reading suggests

Annie’s feelings reflect a minority. Though the First World War was seen as a ‘political victory’ it

came at the cost of wasted lives and is therefore a key factor in why 1918 should not be considered

as a year of victory.

A photograph taken on Armistice Day, 1918 in Martin Place, Sydney, highlights the sense of victory

felt across Australia. People had come together to rejoice in the end of the war, waving English and

Australian flags in celebration.13 14 Understandably, many were celebrating the survival of their loved

ones, but a majority of Australians had no idea of the hardships they would soon face. These

hardships create conflict with the idea of ‘victory’ as Australia was ill-prepared to deal with these

hardships and ultimately failed many returned Anzacs. Firstly, returning home gave many soldiers

mixed feelings and expectations. Just hours from docking at Fremantle on the morning of the

Armistice, Private Richard Williams struggled with internal conflict; this was a battle which

ultimately saw him jump to his death. His last words to a fellow Anzac were ‘[I] would rather do

8 Dr. Brendan Nelson (2018) Address to the National Press Club: We’re all Australians now: 1918 and the War that changed us, 19 September 2018, available online: https://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/speeches/AllAustraliansNow, [accessed 5th November 2018] 9 Ibid. 10 Source 3: Corporal Thomas wrote this letter to his family on the 20th of March, 1918 11 South Australian Red Cross Information Bureau (2018) Potter brothers | South Australian Red Cross Information Bureau,

online: https://sarcib.ww1.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/story/potter-brothers. [Accessed 06 November 2018]. 12 Source 8: Annie Whitelaw’s grave. https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/multimedia/publications/memories-and-memorabilia/recognising-australians-war-heritage/local-graves 13 Source 2: Armistice celebrations in Martin Place, Sydney. 14 The 11th of November would later be called ‘Remembrance Day’

Montana Foster | Year 9 | Wudinna Area School Simpson Prize

anything than go back to Australia.’15 Secondly, for the 16,496 troops who survived gas attacks on

the Western Front, lifelong health problems would impact their everyday lives, all with limited

medical support; 323 gassed men would also suffer early deaths.16 In total, medical care cost

Australia £8.57 million. Included in this cost was approximately 3,000 veterans who required

prosthetic limbs; technology Australia did not have. 17 Lastly, the expectation of easing back into

civilian life put enormous pressure on soldiers and nurses. In addition to physical injuries, they were

carrying mental scars which the Australian government and medical services were ill-prepared for.

Returned servicemen and women were left to ‘deal’ with their own psychological trauma. As one

soldier summarised, ‘You finish up enlisting twice - once for the war, and once for the nightmares.’18

Ultimately, the government abandoned them in their time of need, blaming psychological issues on

‘hereditary conditions.’19 Australian women were also under significant pressure to support

husbands, and many divorced their partners due to the disconnect they felt while dealing with

psychological trauma. The divorce rate doubled in the ten years following the Armistice.20 In

summary, a country who overlooked such significant social, emotional and psychological concerns

should not consider themselves victorious in 1918 or the years that followed.

For Australia, the war had been expensive and public debt had risen by 48% between 1913 and

1918.21.22 This left a dent in Australia’s economy, and between struggling to meet the demands for

repatriation, and the growing need for medical services and pensions, it took up to ten years after

the war had ended for the economy to recover.23 Pensions helped to support returned soldiers and

ease the burden of returning to work while dealing with physical and psychological trauma. While

Australian war pensions totalled £148 million by World War II, many were refused pensions,

including Sapper Herbert Murray. Former Prime Minister William Hughes expressed his

disappointment surrounding Murray’s case: ‘I think it is a crying shame that a man who ruined his

health in the service of his country cannot get justice in his old age.’24 Pensions were also available

to returned nurses, who experienced similar difficulties in accessing them, including Sister Winifred

Smith. She was denied a pension, despite her heart-felt application:

15 Dr. Brendan Nelson (2018) 16 Medical Association for the Prevention of War (n.d.) Australia’s veteran health: WWI. Online: https://www.mapw.org.au/files/downloads/WW1.pdf [accessed 5th November 2018] 17 Source 5: Number of soldiers and officers fitted with an artificial limb 18 Unknown Author (1918) cited in Melbourne Museum (2018) WWI: Love and Sorrow, online: http://loveandsorrow.com, [accessed 5th November 2018] 19 Medical Association for the Prevention of War (n.d.) 20 Kirsty Harris (2014) Australian Nurses at Work in WWI, University of Melbourne, pg. 14 21 Supplying the war had cost Australia $1 423 208 000 22 Financial Review (2018), A Century On: The Deep Economic Consequences, online: https://www.afr.com/opinion/columnists/a-century-on-and-the-deep-economic-consequences [Accessed 5th of November, 2018] 23 SBS News (2014), Effects of WWI lingered long in Australia, online: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/effects-of-wwi-lingered-long-in-australia [accessed 5th November 2018] 24 Prime Minister William Hughes (1936), letter to Herbert Murray cited in Melbourne Museum (2018) WWI: Love and Sorrow, online: http://loveandsorrow.com, [accessed 5th November 2018]

Montana Foster | Year 9 | Wudinna Area School Simpson Prize

‘I have not been well since demobilization, having contracted Pneumonic Influenza

whilst nursing troops (voluntarily) ... & have been in indifferent health since ... My

Husband is an Anzac ... He is partially incapacitated receiving a small pension ...

Returning to Australia we found things very changed & the continual ill health of my

Husband & myself has drained our slender resources.’25

Civilians were failed during this period, too. During the First World War, war bonds assisted the

government to raise money for the troops overseas. 26 The Allied victory meant these bonds needed

to be repaid. Again, this caused greater government debt and, in some cases, it took up to 10 years

for families to be paid back.27 This further supports that Australia was unprepared for the aftermath

of the war and that victory did not extend to the arena of economics.

In conclusion, I acknowledge that successful battles such as Hamel and winning the First World War

in 1918 mark a political victory for Australia and Australians. I believe, however, that it is unfair to

view 1918 and the period that followed as one of victory solely from the political sense, as the views

of families and veterans must be considered. The definition of ‘victory’ needs to include a focus on

the social, economic and medical support provided to the soldiers and nurses that served and saw,

firsthand, the nature of war. Taking these into consideration, it is clear they were failed

economically, socially and medically. Therefore, in my view, the 1918 should be seen only as a

limited victory for Australia and Australians.

25 Jan Bassett (1992), Guns and Brooches, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, page 103 26 ‘War bonds’ worked like reverse loans. The government would borrow money from civilians who would later be paid back with interest 27 SBS News (2014)

Montana Foster | Year 9 | Wudinna Area School Simpson Prize

Bibliography

Australian War Memorial (2018) 8th August 1918, online: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/ART12208/. [Accessed 06 November 2018]. Australian War Memorial (2018) Enlistment statistics, First World War, online: https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/enlistment/ww1. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

Australian War Memorial (2018) Final Victory and Armistice online: https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/victory. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

Australian War Memorial (2018) The Battle of Amiens: 8 August 1918, online: https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/battles/amiens. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

Australian War Memorial (2018), Simpson Prize 2019, online: https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/schools/simpson-prize. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

Australian War Memorial, Hamel: the textbook Victory - 4 July 1918, online: https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/battles/hamel [accessed 5th November 2018] Dr. Brendan Nelson (2018) Address to the National Press Club: We’re all Australians now: 1918 and the War that changed us, 19 September 2018, available online: https://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/speeches/AllAustraliansNow, [accessed 5th November 2018] Financial Review (2018), A Century On: The Deep Economic Consequences, online: https://www.afr.com/opinion/columnists/a-century-on-and-the-deep-economic-consequences [Accessed 5th of November, 2018] History of the Great War - Principal Events Timeline - 1918. 2018. History of the Great War - Principal Events Timeline - 1918. online: http://www.greatwar.co.uk/timeline/ww1-events-1918.htm. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

Imperial War Museums (2018) From Amiens to Armistice: The Hundred Days Offensive | Imperial War Museums. Online: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/from-amiens-to-armistice-the-hundred-days-offensive. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

International Encyclopedia of the First World War (WW1) (2018) Hundred Days Offensive, Hundred Days Offensive | International Encyclopedia of the First World War (WW1). [ONLINE] Available at: https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/hundred_days_offensive. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

Jan Bassett (1992), Guns and Brooches, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Kirsty Harris (2014) Australian Nurses at Work in WWI, University of Melbourne. M. Fleming (2018) Experiences of War : Children and War. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=836. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

Macquarie Dictionary (2014) Medical Association for the Prevention of War (n.d.) Australia’s veteran health: WWI. Online: https://www.mapw.org.au/files/downloads/WW1.pdf [accessed 5th November 2018]

Montana Foster | Year 9 | Wudinna Area School Simpson Prize

National Archives of Australia, Australian Government (2018) Shell-shocked: Australia after Armistice, online: http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/snapshots/shell-shocked/index.aspx. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

Oxford Dictionary (2017) Prime Minister William Hughes (1936), letter to Herbert Murray cited in Melbourne Museum (2018) WWI: Love and Sorrow, online: http://loveandsorrow.com, [accessed 5th November 2018] SBS News (2014), Effects of WWI lingered long in Australia, online: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/effects-of-wwi-lingered-long-in-australia [accessed 5th November 2018] Simpson Prize Source 2: Armistice celebrations in Martin Place, Sydney. The 11th of November would later be called ‘Remembrance Day’ Simpson Prize Source 3: Corporal Thomas wrote this letter to his family on the 20th of March, 1918 Simpson Prize Source 5: Number of soldiers and officers fitted with an artificial limb Simpson Prize Source 8: Annie Whitelaw’s grave. https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/multimedia/publications/memories-and-memorabilia/recognising-australians-war-heritage/local-graves South Australian Red Cross Information Bureau (2018) Potter brothers | South Australian Red Cross Information Bureau, online: https://sarcib.ww1.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/story/potter-brothers. [Accessed 06 November 2018]. The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 November 1918 Unknown Author (1918) cited in Melbourne Museum (2018) WWI: Love and Sorrow, online: http://loveandsorrow.com, [accessed 5th November 2018]

Unknown Author (2018) The domestic effects on women, Women and the war, Australia and World War I, History Year 9, NSW | Online Education Home Schooling Skwirk Australia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-42_t-48_c-144/the-domestic-effects-on-women/nsw/the-domestic-effects-on-women/australia-and-world-war-i/women-and-the-war. [Accessed 06 November 2018].

World War I: 1914-1918 | Striking Women. 2018. World War I: 1914-1918 | Striking Women. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.striking-women.org/module/women-and-work/world-war-i-1914-1918. [Accessed 06 November 2018].